Violin.



0. 0. STORLE.

VIOLIN.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. 5, 1912.

1, 1 1 6,754. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

m Inventr;

7 (mm a 5M flint-o rm e361.

7H: NORRIS PETERS Ca, PHbTO-LITH O WASHINGTON. D. C

OLE o. s'ronnn, or racolua, wasmucron.

VIOLIN.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed August 5, 1912. Serial No. 713,222.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLE O. SToRLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the County of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Violins, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

The main objects of this invention are to dispense, with the usual bass bar, and to localize the internal support for counteract ing the. pressure of the strings adjacent to the bridge, hereby providing for greater freedom of vibration of the belly and making it more sensitively responsive to the vibrations of the strings; to provide for readily varying the intensity and quality of the tone; and generally to improve the construction and the tone of violins.

It consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts as herein after particularly described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is an inverted plan View of a violin with the back broken away to show a device embodying the invention as applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

The device embodying the present invention is shown as applied to a violin of the usual construction, except that the bass bar is omitted.

Referring to the drawing, a designates the belly, b the back, a the finger board, d the tail piece, 7 the bridge and g and 7b internal end blocks, or neck and end pin blocks respectively, all of the usual construction, except as above stated, that the belly a has no bass bar.

The present invention as shown in its preferred embodiment, consists of an inwardly yielding support adapted to exert an outward pressure against the middle portion of the belly adjacent to the bridge, so as to counteract the external inward pressure of the strings through the bridge on the belly without interfering with the free vibration and resonance of the belly, this support taking the place of the usual bass bar.

In its preferred form the support consists of an angular or elbow-shaped lever z, preferably made of resilient material such as wood. The shorter arm of this lever, is fulerumed at the end on the tail pin or end block it next or adjacent to the back I), while the longer arm is extends inwardly toward the middle of the violin adjacent to but out of contact with the belly, and is adapted to exert an outward and yielding pressure against the belly adjacent to the bridge f, so' as to-sustain or counteract the inward pressure ofthe strings. A bearing block Z, preferably interposed between the belly a and the arm 70 underneath or opposite the left foot of the bridge f to transmit the outward pressure of the lever to the belly, is glued or otherwise "attached to the belly notched or. recessed between the ends on the under sideto receive the free end of the lever and hold it in place. I

The lever 2' adjacent to its elbow and approximately in' line with its longer arm 70, is connected with the block b by a screw or bolt m, threaded at its inner end in a nut 72, which is held in a recess in the lever and passing outward therefrom through a flar ing hole in the lever and through a hole in the block h, the head of the bolt, which is formed with a slot or other means for ad usting it, bearing against the outer end wall of the violin, where it is easily accessible for adjustment. This provision for supporting the belly inside to counteract the inward pressure of the strings on the bridge, permits of the removal or omission of the bass bar, which is usually employed for this purpose, and which interferes with the free vibration of the belly responsive to the vibrations of the strings. The freer vibration of the belly thus obtained, produces a freer, richer tone, which may be varied or modified to secure the best results in any given instrument, by the adjustment of the screw or bolt m to vary the stress on the spring or resilient arm is of the lever i, and the consequent outward pressure of said arm against the belly.

In a violin having a thin, light or weak belly, it may be necessary or desirable to reinforce or strengthen the belly by an internal longitudinal rib or the like, but of smaller and lighter construction than an ordinary bass bar, so as not to interfere with the free vibration and resonance of the belly,

arrangement of parts of the device may be made without materially affecting its operation and without departing from the principle and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a violin the combination with the belly of an elbow-shaped lever fulcrumed adjacent to its elbow in the violin at one end thereof and having its shorter arm hearing against the end of the violin and its longer arm arranged lengthwise of the violin and bearing and pressing outwardly adj acent to its free end against the belly adj acent to the bridge.

2. In a violin the combination with the belly of a lever fulcrumed in the violin at one end thereof and having a resilient arm arranged lengthwise of the violin and bearing adjacent to its free end against the belly adjacent to the bridge, and a screw for adjusting the pressure of said arm against the belly.

3. In a violin the combination with the belly and an end block of a resilient arm arranged within and lengthwise of the violin and connected at one end with the end block and having a bearing adjacent to its free end against the belly adjacent to the bridge, and means accessible outside of the violin for adjusting the pressure of said arm against the belly.

l. In a violin the combination with the belly and an end block or" an elbow lever fulcrumed on said block adjacent to the back and having adjacent to the free end of its longer arm a bearing against the belly adjacent to the bridge, and an adjusting screw connecting said lever adjacent to its fulcrum with said block and accessible outside of the violin.

5. In a violin the combination with the belly and an end block, of a resilient elbow lever fulcrumed on said block adjacent to the back and having its longer arm arranged lengthwise and out of contact with the belly, and a bearing piece interposed between the longer arm of said lever and the belly adjacent to the bridge.

In witness whereof 1 hereto ahix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, OLE O. STORLE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. Goss, FRED PALM.

, Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

